Call for Expressions of Interest: Mood Walks for Youth in Transition

Posted on November 05, 2015

Submission Deadline: 4 pm, Monday, November 30, 2015

Mood Walks is a province-wide initiative that promotes physical activity in nature, or “green exercise,” as a way to improve both physical and mental health. Led by the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario, in partnership with Hike Ontario and Conservation Ontario, Mood Walks provides training and support for community mental health agencies, social service organizations and other community partners to launch educational hiking programs, connect with local resources, find volunteers, and explore nearby trails and green spaces. Mood Walks is supported by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

The next phase of our project, Mood Walks for Youth in Transition, will build capacity to support youth who are at risk of, or experiencing, mental health issues. Young people often become less physically active as they enter their teen years. This life stage is also typically a period of many “transitions” — from teenager to young adult, from high school to post-secondary, from living at home to living away. All of these changes tend to be accompanied by greater levels of stress, higher prevalence of substance use, as well as the emergence of mental health issues. Hiking combines physical activity with exposure to the natural environment — two elements that have proven benefits in promoting mental wellness and recovery from mental illness.

Minding Our Bodies is an initiative of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario, in partnership with Mood Disorders Association of Ontario, Nutrition Resource Centre, YMCA Ontario, and York University's Faculty of Health with support from the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion.